Halifax to host Davis Cup tennis event

Canada's Milos Raonic, of Toronto, Ont., gestures to the crowd after defeating Spain's Guillermo Garcia-Lopez during a Davis Cup tennis world group first-round tie singles match in Vancouver, B.C., on Feb. 3, 2013. Tennis Canada announced Thursday that Halifax will host a Davis Cup match in September. (THE CANADIAN PRESS)

It’s been more than 15 years since a professional tennis event was last in Halifax

But that’s going to change in September, as the city and Metro Centre has been tapped by Tennis Canada to host an important Davis Cup playoff tie between Canada and Colombia.

In 1998, Halifax hosted a Davis Cup tie, but that was in the first round of the Americas Zone Group 1, with Canada defeating Mexico 3-2.

This time, however, the stakes are much higher, as both Canada and Colombia need a win to remain in the prestigious World Group in 2015.

“We are very much looking forward to continuing at this level, which is why we have chosen Halifax, knowing that the fans will get behind this international event,” Gavin Ziv, Tennis Canada’s director of national events, said at Thursday’s announcement

Unlike 1998, Halifax will host the event at a time when tennis is surging in popularity, thanks to the exploits of Eugenie Bouchard, who became the first Canadian to advance to a major final Thursday at Wimbledon, and Milos Raonic, who will try to become the second in Friday’s semifinal.

Ziv said he has had “ongoing discussions” with Halifax officials for the last four or five years, and timing, along with Metro Centre availability, helped the city land the event this year.

The province and the city each provided Tennis Canada with a $65,000 hosting support grant.

Tennis Canada hopes to expose the sport across the country and to as many people as possible, Ziv said.

“And usually, bringing professional tennis is a good way to do that.”

Canada has competed in the World Group for the last three years.

Led by rising stars Raonic and Vasek Pospisil, and veteran Daniel Nestor, the team made history last year, making it to the World Group semifinals, the furthest Canada had ever reached in the Open era, before losing to Novak Djokovic and Serbia.

But a depleted roster, due to injuries to Raonic and Pospisil, saw Canada lose the first round to Japan in February, necessitating the playoff with Colombia.

“(The zone group) is very laborious and very difficult to get out of, it took us eight years to get out of, so we really need to win this and we’re counting on that home support to give us that edge,” said team captain Martin Laurendeau, who flew in from Kelowna to be in Halifax for the announcement.

The playoff tie will occur from Sept. 12-14, exactly a week after the U.S. Open, a fact that played into Halifax’s favour, Laurendeau said.

The proximity to a major also means that it’s possible that the top players will not be able to play, similar to Canada’s first round against Japan, which started play four days after the conclusion of the Australian Open.

Laurendeau was confident that the core of the team, which also includes Frank Dancevic, will be playing in Halifax.

“When injuries do occur, we’ve got to go with Plan B and Plan C,” he said. “Our guys are very excited, everyone wants to be here. If someone is not here it’s because he’s injured.”

Playing at an indoor venue was Tennis Canada’s preference. The team will also be able to tailor the synthetic surface to play fast or slow, which is a decided advantage for the host nation.

Nevertheless, Laurendeau said getting past Columbia will be no easy task.

“These guys do play outdoors more,” he said. “But they have good players; they had two guys make the third round of Wimbledon just this last week and they have a really good doubles team that can play on any surface, they’re top five in the world.”

But the biggest advantage will be the home crowd, as evidenced by the fervour displayed by fans in Vancouver last year when Canada beat the No. 1 team in the world, Spain, and Italy, on their Davis Cup run.

And the city may not have to wait another 15 years to host an elite-level professional tennis event.

“The intention is to build a marketplace,” Ziv said. “We went to Calgary five times in five years, we went to, as I said, Vancouver three times in two years. So we want to grow the sport and a one-shot deal isn’t really the best way to do it. We’re going to take the opportunities where we can take them.”

Capacity for the event will be 4,500 seats plus limited premium box seating.

Tickets will go on sale on July 15 through Ticket Atlantic, with prices likely ranging from $30 to $50.